As the American Cancer Society plans to recruit 500 people who live or work in the Harford County area, it has scheduled enrollment for Nov. 7-11.

What if you could prevent even one family member from hearing the words: "You have cancer?" The American Cancer Society is seeking cancer fighters in Harford County to help spread the word about the importance of participating in Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), a landmark national study to help researchers better understand the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent cancer.

CPS-1 established the link between smoking and lung cancer in the 1950s.

CPS-2 recently made news by establishing a link between taking an aspirin daily and having a decreased risk of dying from cancer.

About 100 Champions are expected to be involved in the recruitment. Champions are community residents – including cancer survivors, caregivers or those honoring a loved one who has battled cancer – who have volunteered to help drive CPS-3 Harford County awareness.

Enrollment takes place Nov. 7 - 11 in Harford County at Mountain Christian Church, Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company, Harford County Health Department at Woodbridge Station in Edgewood, St. Patrick Church in Havre de Grace, The John Carroll School and Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, both in Bel Air.

The goal is to enroll 500 people who work or live around the Harford County area. Enrollment is open to any U.S. citizen. The national goal is a diverse population of 300,000 Americans. Go to: http://www.CPS3harford.org.

"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to participate in lifesaving cancer research," organizer Gloria Jetter Crockett said recently. "We need passionate people who are committed to fighting cancer. While the American Cancer Society has been conducting these types of studies for decades, their world-class research department can only study new and emerging cancer risks if members of the community are willing to become involved."

To enroll, participants must:

• Be between the ages of 30 – 65 and never have been diagnosed with cancer (except for basal or squamous cell skin carcinoma);

• Provide a waist measurement and give a small blood sample;

• Complete a comprehensive survey and follow-up surveys every few years.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer.

As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, the cancer society fights for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. The society saves lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation's largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, the society turns what it knows about cancer into what it does.

As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate birthdays this year.

To learn more about the American Cancer Society or to get help, call the society any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org. For cancer news in your community, visit sacancernews.org.